ARK Invest Files CoinDesk 20 ETF With Litecoin Exposure
- ARK Invest filed for two CoinDesk 20 index crypto ETFs using futures-based exposure.
- Litecoin joins Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana through its CoinDesk 20 index allocation.
- The ETF tracks regulated futures rather than spot assets, shaping return behaviour.
Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest has submitted registration statements for two index-based crypto exchange-traded funds tied to the CoinDesk 20 Index, according to filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. One proposed product includes Bitcoin exposure alongside leading altcoins, while the second excludes Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash and focuses solely on alternative digital assets. The filings signal ARK Invest’s latest move to expand regulated crypto investment access as institutional interest continues to build.
ARK Targets Broad Crypto Exposure Through Index ETFs
The SEC filing shows ARK Invest submitted an S-1 registration for the “ARK CoinDesk 20 Crypto ETF”, designed to track the daily performance of the CoinDesk 20 Index. This index includes BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL, ADA, LINK, XLM, BCH, SUI, AVAX, LTC, HBAR, CRO, UNI, AAVE, NEAR, APT, POL, ICP, and DOT. As a result, the fund offers exposure to a wide cross-section of the digital asset market.
Alongside this product, ARK also filed for a second ETF that removes Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash from its scope. Instead, it concentrates on altcoins within the same benchmark, such as Ethereum, Solana, Cardano, XRP, and Litecoin. This dual-fund approach creates differentiated exposure profiles under a single index framework.
The CoinDesk 20 Index operates as a rules-based benchmark. It tracks the 20 largest and most liquid digital assets by market capitalization. Stablecoins and select asset types remain excluded. The index applies market-cap weighting with caps on dominant assets to support diversification and undergoes quarterly rebalancing to reflect market changes.
Futures-Based Structure Sets ARK Apart
Unlike spot crypto ETFs, the ARK CoinDesk 20 Crypto ETF will not directly hold Bitcoin, Litecoin, or other tokens. Instead, it plans to replicate index performance through regulated futures contracts tied to the CoinDesk 20 Index. The fund will also hold collateral such as cash and equivalents to support these positions.
Because of this structure, the ETF’s share price may diverge from spot market movements of the underlying cryptocurrencies. Futures pricing, together with contract roll costs and collateral management practices, creates an impact on investment returns. The prospectus outlines these mechanics as central to the fund’s design.
This approach differs from other index-based offerings. For example, the Franklin Templeton Crypto Index ETF provides spot exposure to assets such as BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL, DOGE, ADA, XLM, and LINK. That contrast places ARK’s product firmly in the futures-based category.
ARK is also not the first firm to pursue a CoinDesk 20-linked ETF. In November, WisdomTree filed for a fund tracking the same index. WisdomTree’s proposal involves direct investment in the index’s crypto assets using identical weightings.
Related: ARK Invest Expands Bold AI and Crypto Positions With New Market Moves
Litecoin Included as Market Data Shows Active Trading
Litecoin remains a constituent of the CoinDesk 20 Index, which means it will receive allocation through ARK’s ETF exposure. This inclusion places LTC alongside Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana within the benchmark.
The market data showed that Litecoin traded at $68.32 in the past 24 hours, resulting in a 0.23% increase. The price movement during the day started below $67.50; it rose to the $68.50 range as traders engaged in short-term trading activities.
Litecoin reached a market capitalization of $5.24 billion, representing a 0.23% increase from previous values. The 24-hour trading volume reached $285.16 million, experiencing a 18.29% decrease.
